The Family Handyman: Helpful Hints
I live in an old house, and things frequently break or need to be upgraded. I like to at least try to repair things myself before calling in the pros. This book, by Reader's Digest, The Family Handyman: Helpful Hints : Quick & Easy Solutions / Time-Saving Tips / Tricks of the Trade, is a gold mine of how-to information. No house should be without this book. The section on home wiring alone is worth the price of the book -- I've now installed five light fixtures in the house. I would have been hopelessly lost without the information in here.
I doubt I'll do much plumbing beyond toilet flusher and sink valve stuff, but the section that explains the plumbing system in a house helped take the mystery out of roof vents, at least. Link
Comments
I'm don't know if this is an updated version of the Reader's Digest home repair book that I have, but if it is it's the best book around. As a single mother who owns an eternal "fixer-upper" I couldn't have survived without it. Here's how good it is:
A few months ago, while at work, I got an email from my 21 y.o. daughter. To paraphrase, she wrote, "Hi Mom. Your cell phone is at the restaurant where you ate lunch. I called you to ask the name of that yellow book that you always used to fix everything. Mike's apartment is falling apart. So is mine. I want to buy us copies. The lady at the restaurant didn't know the name of it, but she has your cell phone at the cash register."
Posted by: michele Waggner | November 13, 2005 2:37 PM